Xll PREFACE. 



animals, and many valuable results yet remain in his possession, 

 which it is hoped he will soon communicate to the public. 



The circumstance, however, which contributed, in the great- 

 est degree, to restore the science to its former dignity, in this 

 country, arose from the influence of the writings of the conti- 

 nental naturalists. Unrestricted by those trammels which had 

 paralysed the exertions of British zoologists, they had followed 

 in the track of the Natural Method, under the banners of 

 Reaumur, Degeer, Muller, Daubenton, and Fabricius; 

 and more recently under the guidance of Blumenbach, Ru- 

 dolphi, Temminck, Cuvier, Latreille, and Savigny. A 

 comparison of the productions of these modern observers, with 

 those of the disciples of the Linnean school, could not fail to 

 exhibit the former in a favourable light, and gain converts to 

 the pursuits of physiology. In this new field, Dr Leach has 

 occupied a prominent place. His situation as zoologist to the 

 British Museum, furnished him with invaluable facilities ; and 

 there are few unacquainted with the successful results. He be- 

 gan by publishing several articles on annulose animals, in the 

 Edinburgh Encyclopaedia, and the Supplement to the Encyclo- 

 paedia Britannica, which have been republished, under his in- 

 spection, by Mr Samouelle, in the Entomologist' '«? Useful 

 Compendium, London, 1819- The Zoological Miscellany was 

 begun by Dr Leach, in 1814; and, in the following year, the 

 Malacostraca Podophthalmata Britannice, imparted a new cha- 

 racter to an obscure branch of British Zoology. He had like- 

 wise, in considerable forwardness, a Mollusca Britannica. It 

 is deeply to be regretted, that indisposition has hitherto pre- 

 vented its publication, since it is confidently believed that his 

 labours in this field would have removed much of that uncer- 

 tainty which still prevails in the classification of molluscous 

 animals. 



The Insects of Britain are at this moment receiving ample 

 illustration, according to the modern improvements of the science, 

 in two works, in the course of publication. In the British En- 

 tomology of Mr Curtis, there is exhibited a fortunate dexte- 

 rity in developing structure, accompanied with great accuracy 

 of delineation. The Illustrations of British Entomology, by 



